Tuesday, November 29, 2016

The Refuge: An Inspirational Novel of Scotland

By: Regan Walker



North of Glasgow near Loch Lomond, the Vale of Leven was attacked by two longboats of 'Northmen' (Norse). Catriona watched as her friends and family were brutally slain. All that remained were Cat, her falcon, her brother Niall and her faithful guard Angus.  Everything was gone including her faith. What God allows such carnage and mayhem, and plundering of all their possessions. Her soul was filled with terror and hatred.

The man Cationa had always thought she'd wed, Domnal mac Murchada removed them to their maternal uncle Matad, mormar of Atholl, and his daughter Fia. Matad was a powerful provincial ruler. Post-mourning he took them post-mourning he took them to the castle of Malcolm, King of Scots. Niall became an archer. Cat and Fia become two of Queen Margaret 'Ladies'. Unlike her strong warrior husband, the Queen was benevolent and pious, requiring personal sacrifices; pre-dawn prayers and feeding the needy before yourself. Soon Cat began to pray to God. The Queen, in her infinite goodness, saw the lost soul, the restlessness and depression so she spent time nurturing the hurt, and granting her some freedom that she may heal. Meanwhile, Domnal was also at court but paid her little heed and never spoke of the betrothed the and Catriona had planned. As he became more important so did his need for a well connected, well dowried Lady. Although painful, the Queen explained how God had other plans for her with a better man

That man is the King's scribe (with the body of a warrior) Steiner of Talisand, His gentle attentiveness and their mutual intellect, as well as his kisses, brought their lost souls together. Even the King's plans to wed her to another could not keep them from God and love. It's always nice to revisit beloved characters. It was a pleasure to read this from a religious point of view and see how Queen Margaret brought so much to her people but took time to save a hurt, lonely soul and an injured, displaced warrior.

This one has much adventure and brings you to Scotland of old with enough real history to put you in that time period, which I loved. And the story will warm your heart and feed your soul.

Monday, November 21, 2016

The Dukes of War series (book 1) The Viscount's Christmas Temptation

By: Erica Ridley



Amelia ran the homes of her brother, the Duke of Ravenswood, as a well oiled machine. Her OCD tendencies allow her to multi-task and even perceive impending needs/problems. But as her thirtieth birthday approaches on the day after Christmas, she decides she must have a husband before that date-it's better to say you are twenty something. The 75th Annual Sheffields Christmas Eve Ball will provided her a pool of titled men to choose her husband from.

The Viscount of Sheffield lives his life strictly 8a.m. to 8p.m. is all business and from 8p.m. to 8a.m. is for debauchery. A house fire causes him to cancel the annual ball, that is until his world was turned upside down by the unannounced visit to his study by Amelia. She had a plan and told him that his ball was to take place, and she will be handling the details.

What ensues is a clash of two dominant OCD personalities and some daylight debauchery. The Dukes of War series storyline is constinually entertaining and well written. 

Stevie Zimmerman performs the Audible narration and I have given her a 4 star rating. A very female voice does not do justice to a tall, muscular male character.